Executive Order No. 123 – Reorganizing the Ministry of Social Services and Development now referred
to as Ministry of Social Welfare and Development
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
Malacañang Palace, Manila
EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 123
REORGANIZING THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND DEVELOPMENT NOW REFERRED TO AS
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
RECALLING that the reorganization of the government is mandated expressly in Article II, Section 1 (a),
and Articles III of the Freedom Constitution;
HAVING IN MIND that, pursuant to Executive Order No. 5 (1986) it is directed that necessary and proper
changes in the organizational and functional structures of the government, its agencies and
instrumentalities effected in order to promote efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of public
services;
CONSIDERING that the right to welfare is a basic right which is enshrined in the Constitution;
BELIEVING that welfare encompasses a range of services which addresses the needs of the extremely
disadvantaged individual, family, group and community in a holistic manner;
BELIEVING, that the desired scheme is for welfare and development to be a shared concern between the
State and its people;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested
in me by the sovereign will of the Filipino people and the Freedom Constitution, do hereby order:
SECTION 1. TITLE. This Executive Order shall otherwise be known as the Reorganization Act of the
Ministry of Social Services and Development.
SECTION 2. REORGANIZATION. The Ministry of Social Services and Development, hereby renamed the
Ministry of Social Welfare and Development and hereinafter referred to as Ministry, is hereby
reorganized, structurally and functionally, in accordance with the provisions of this Executive Order.
SECTION 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY. The State is committed to the care, protection, and rehabilitation
of that segment of the country’s population (individual, family and community) which has the least in
life and needs socially welfare assistance and social work intervention to restore their normal fuctioning
and participation in community affairs.
SECTION 4. MANDATE. The agency vested with the responsibility for the implementation of the
foregoing policy is the Ministry. Its fundamental strategy shall be to provide a balanced approach to
welfare whereby the needs and interests of the population are addressed not only at the outbreak of
crisis but more importantly at the stage which would inexorably lead to such crisis. Following such
strategy, the Ministry’s objectives shall be to:
(a) Care, protect and rehabilitate the physically and menatally handicapped and the socially disabled
constituents, for effective social functions;